


When the Sun Sets (We’re Both the Same)

by charlietheepic7



Series: Crossovers No One But Me Wanted [4]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game), Persona 5
Genre: Another Story (Mystic Messenger), Dead Akechi Goro, Depression, Divorced Akira Kurusu, F/M, Female Kurusu Akira, Female Persona 5 Protagonist, Hallucinations, Kurusu Akira is MC, Minor Choi Saeran/Kurusu Akira, PTSD, Past Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira - Freeform, Past Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Sakura Sojiro Adopts Persona 5 Protagonist, Scars, V's route
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:47:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26046745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlietheepic7/pseuds/charlietheepic7
Summary: Years after formally retiring as a Phantom Thief, Akira is still unable to let go of a relationship that was barely there. While continuing her education in South Korea, she’s dragged into a conflict between a cult and a charity organization, all the while a man who reminds her eerily of herself tries to set her free.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/V | Kim Jihyun, Persona 5 Protagonist/V | Kim Jihyun, V | Kim Jihyun/Main Character
Series: Crossovers No One But Me Wanted [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910695
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	When the Sun Sets (We’re Both the Same)

**Author's Note:**

> ~We can't look back for nothing  
> Take what you need, say your goodbyes  
> I gave you everything  
> And it's a beautiful crime
> 
> "Beautiful Crime" by Tamer

Perhaps, if Goro had lived, her life would be better. 

It was a sentiment Akira thought at least once a day. Perhaps she’d be married to him. Perhaps they’d have kids by now. Perhaps she would have stayed in Japan. Perhaps she’d be happy.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

Ultimately, the thought was useless, so she tried not to dwell on it for more than a minute at a time. Yadobaoth was dead, incapable of making deals. She’d rejected Maruki’s dream world six years ago. There was no way to bring the dead back anymore. So she continued on, treading through life, dragging his corpse behind her with only the moonless night sky to keep her company. 

It was lonely; she’d tried to love Ryuji romantically and he tried the same, even to the point where they got married. But she never let go of Goro and Ryuji discovered his affection for Yusuke wasn’t exactly platonic, so the split was amicable. Besides, they’d only been married for a few months and it wasn’t like they had any property to split. 

The other Phantom Thieves didn’t seem to understand it though. Except for Morgana and Ann, they all looked at Akira like she would break every time Ryuji and Yusuke were affectionate. Morgana knew how long she loved Goro, still sharing his bag with Goro’s glove, and Ann knew because Akira had gotten a little too drunk on girl’s night while she was the designated sober friend. 

So, to escape their gaze, Akira had applied to Sky University in Seoul, South Korea, to get her Graduate’s Degree in Business. 

She’d been accepted and now, a few months before she started in the spring, Akira Sakura rested in her apartment countries away from her family. 

Tuition and rent were easy. By the end of her second year of high school, Akira had collected a nice nest egg of ten million yen and it probably would have been more if she hadn’t spent so much money strengthening Raoul at the Gallows so many times. Plus, with the handful of Palaces they managed to enter after the collapse of Mementos--as it turned out, destroying the collective unconscious had no effect on the Palaces already in existence, so there were plenty of leftovers to pilfer--she had more than enough for college. Then there was her job. While she might work entirely on commission--with the occasional piano gig to supplement--her clients paid high, and high-paying clients recommended other high-paying clients. All in all, she was well off. 

But she was bored. As a professional adrenaline junkie, she just hasn’t been stimulated enough with her family so far away. She couldn’t even work yet, since she relied primarily on word of mouth (but Haru had promised her that she was visiting Seoul in a few days for a business meeting with the cooperate heir of C&R and that she would bring her up while there, so fingers crossed for a beautiful, new set of clientele!). And when her boredom sprouted, her depression followed soon after. 

So, if she happened to be sprawled on the ground of her new apartment, surrounded by walls displaying her model guns, then so be it. It was her business if she spent the last few hours recounting her every mistake, from not realizing the Okumura Palace was a trap to the spicy curry from last week that gave Mona the runs. 

Speaking of her faithful companion, he was curled up on her back, purring softly in a show of support. If she had the energy, she’d scratch him behind the ears for that. 

_ Your phone is ringing, _ Raoul said, having been quiet the entire time she was lying on the floor. 

Akira lifted her head to listen to the Featherman ringtone Futaba installed, the entire sea of souls within her sloshing around to give her vertigo. “So it is,” she mumbled, falling back down face first. She would call back whoever it was later.

_ But what if it’s about one of the jobs you applied too?  _ Raoul asked.  _ It would be unprofessional to have to call them back, my dear. _

She had applied for a few jobs to pass the time in between now and school’s start. A few cafes needed a barista, a flower shop needed a florist, and a game company needed a tester. It was the last she was really excited about. The job listing didn’t have many details, but she’d never worked for a game company before. 

Akira groaned. Raoul was right, smug bastard. She could feel his smirk as she staggered to her feet, Mona jumping off with a disgruntled “Hey!”. She answered her phone on the last ring. 

“Hello?”

“Hello. Am I speaking to Akira Sakura?”

“This is she.”

“Ah! Your voice over the phone is much cuter than I was expecting. It’s nice to meet you, Akira... I am with Magenta Games. I’m actually the main developer... After looking at all the applicants, we decided that you would be perfect as our first game tester!” He sounded nice, but awkward, like he wasn’t used to speaking on the phone. Still, Akira was thrilled. 

“Really?” She couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice. Finally, something to do! “That’s great! I’ve been so curious about the app ever since I read the description online. There wasn’t a lot of info on the listing.”

The man laughed. “Yeah, I know. Marketing really messed that one up. We only ended up with a few applications.” Her eyebrows furrowed. Did marketing usually deal with that? She couldn’t remember… The developer continued. “Well, the game itself is a messenger game app. The concept is chatting with pretty/good-looking guys. The guys are actually all AI I built, but there’s much more than just talking to them. There are hidden stories, amusing stories that will stir the imagination!” This was starting to slip into sales pitch territory. “All you’ll need to do is play the game and tell me your honest opinion! What do you think? Do you have any other questions?”

“Yeah. The ad said testing came with room and board? That’s not something I was expecting.”

“That! Well, since the game is a secret and still in its first stage of testing, to prevent any leaks from occurring, the boss decided that everyone working on the project will live on location. Unfortunately, that includes you. N-Not that I think you’ll end up leaking anything, though!! It’s just a general rule!”

Akira laughed. He was so nervous, it was cute. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Room and board isn’t bad. I don’t suppose you can tell me how long testing will take?”

“No, I can’t. Like I said, the game is still in early development.”

She nodded. “Alright. When do you need me to arrive at your headquarters, or wherever I’m staying?”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry. We’re sending the car for you tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow!? That’s…  _ way _ too soon!” This was getting more and more suspicious by the minute. It only piqued her curiosity more. She  _ had _ to check this out.

“I-Is it? I’m sorry, my boss wants this game to come out as soon as possible. I’m not sure we can afford to reschedule again…”

“It’s…” She sighed, pinching her nose. “It’s fine, it’s not your fault. I’ll just have to find a last minute cat sitter, that’s all.”

“What!?” Morgana yowled, having listened in on her half of the conversation. “I don’t need a sitter!”

She covered the receiver. “I’m not leaving you alone for who-knows-how-long.” She returned to the phone. “I haven’t had the chance to look for a trustworthy sitter yet, since I’m still new to the city, and I can’t exactly leave him home if you don’t know how long testing will be…”

“A cat…?” The man mused. “I suppose you could take it with you… I completely understand not wanting to abandon someone you love.”

“Yeah,” Akira reached out and scratched Morgana behind the ears, which he tolerated with an eye roll. “If it’s providing supplies, I can do it; packing up a small travel bag for him would be no problem at all. Mona’s the only family I have in Korea at the moment, so I don’t really feel comfortable leaving him with a stranger.”

“In that case, you’re welcome to bring him, so long as he doesn’t cause any trouble.”

“He won’t. Mona’s very well-behaved.” Akira winked. 

“I’m going to cough up a hairball in your bed,” Morgana threatened. She waved him off.

“Is there anything else you are wondering about?”

“Yeah… do you have any elevators in the building? I walk with a cane, but typically I only ever need to use it when I’m exhausted or going up or down flights of stairs.”

“Don’t worry. There is an elevator that goes up to the room you will be staying in. Unfortunately, it’s keycard locked, so only members of our company can use it, but you were going to be restricted to that floor anyway, for secrecy purposes. I-I swear, it’s not that we don’t trust you! It’s just, we have a lot of projects currently in the development phase and my boss wants to keep everything quiet for now.”

“I understand. Staying on a single floor will probably be fine.” She might feel a bit cooped up after a few days, but so long as there was a window and people to talk to, she’d be okay. 

“Great! Would… would you like to hear more about the game?”

“Yes, that’ll be wonderful.”

“Okay. So, in truth, a tutorial within the game was supposed to explain everything, but it’s still being modified. Do you remember how you’re supposed to chat with certain characters?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Yeah, I just now sent you an email with the image of the game characters I’m currently developing. Those characters will be your chatting partners. All five characters in the image are part of an association called RFA.”

“RFA?” Why did that sound kind of familiar?

“RFA is a closed organization with the purpose of holding fundraising parties. The plot is set to open a fundraising party with your help. You’ve been set as the party coordinator, in charge of inviting guests. Just think that you are the one choosing whom to invite to the party.”

“I can just choose guests however I like?”

“The characters inside the game will recommend you the guests. Depending on how you answer them, the guests may or may not come. Of course, it’ll be a disappointment if it’s only inviting guests. You will find out their secrets by chatting/answering phone calls with the characters. It’ll be much faster to understand by playing, instead of listening to all this.”

Akira nodded. It did seem really interesting… “Alright, fine. I’ll do it.”

“Thanks! I was terrified that you’d refuse. Now, the car will be sent tomorrow morning at 8am, all we need is your address.”

“My address? I don’t think that’ll be possible…”

“Ah, it doesn’t have to be your address. Tell me the nearest address. I’ll send teh car over there when it’s convenient for you.”

Akira told him the address of a nearby pastry shop.

“Alright, I think that’s everything. Be prepared to bring at least a week’s worth of clothes with you. Oh. I’m telling you this in advance, so don’t freak out. The location I’m at is also confidential, and it can’t be revealed. You won’t be able to see the road to this place. Don’t be scared and do as I tell you.”

“Okay.” Great. This is just getting more and more suspicious. 

“I should hang up now. I should also get ready.”

“Get ready?”

“Yes. Get ready for your arrival. My heart’s fluttering from the thought that I can meet you soon…” Akira felt her cheeks heat up. “Everything will be complete once you’re here. Then… I’ll see you later.”

He hung up and Akira realized with a start that she never even got his name. She listened to the dial tone for a few seconds. 

“Akira, you’re not actually going to listen to that guy, right? This sounds seriously sketchy. And he wasn’t acting professional at all!” Morgana gripped, hopping into her lap. “For all you know, this could be some human trafficking thing! You could get hurt!”

_ Seems like too much effort for a human trafficker, _ Raoul added,  _ but Morgana is correct regarding this organization’s validity. We should investigate. _

“Well--” Akira stood with a groan, her leg screaming at her. “If it is something illegal, better they get me than some naive girl. I can handle myself.”

“In the Metaverse! But here, you’re--”

“Hush. Let me get packed before you lecture me; you know I only have the energy to do two things a day.”

Fine!” Mona skulked off, muttering something about how those weird people better have sushi. Akira chuckled despite herself before dragging her suitcase out of her closet. There would be more than enough room in there for a week’s worth of clothes. 

_ Bring something more refined as well, _ Raoul suggested.  _ Even if you never end up using it, it is better to be prepared than not. _

She nodded. Raoul always gave the best advice, even if it resulted in her having to wear a dress. She missed fighting with him; in the Metaverse, their consciousnesses merged into one being, both Akira and Arsene or Sataniel or Raoul, into Joker. However, outside the Metaverse, they were separate, though still, as always, connected. “Which would be better? The black dress or the red?”

_ Choose both. _

“I don’t have room for both.”

_ Black then. _

Packing went on like that for sometime, with Akira suggesting and Raoul advising. He had a much better fashion sense then she did. There was even enough room for Raoul’s favorite outfit (not that she intended on wearing it; skin-tight bright red leather pants went above and beyond what she preferred, but occasionally Raoul’s consciousness would slip into the foreground and she liked to be prepared). The bag was almost packed when she hesitated and slid a metal briefcase out from under her bed. 

The shiny metal was just barely scuffed, the monogrammed “A” just as arrogant as its original owner. She still remembered when she stole it. It was only a few days after she’d been released from prison and Akira had begged Futaba to find Akechi’s old address. She had just wanted to check; she didn’t mean to pilfer his old apartment. But despite having been missing for two months, his landlord hadn’t removed his stuff yet, so she ended up picking through the few things there. It was a small apartment, studeo, that was so plan it made her attic seem like luxury. There were few personal effects there, all covered in dust. Mostly clothes and shoes. No gifts. No decorations. She couldn’t help grabbing his briefcase when she saw it though; for a foolish few weeks, she thought he would have to track her down if he wanted it back. Or that maybe there was something inside that would prove her feelings were reciprocated. 

But he was dead. And the only things inside the case were old files, a spare set of gloves, and a silencer. 

Now she used it to hold her most secretive possessions, the four digit lock protecting her most precious secrets. She thumbed it open and, atop the rest of her secrets, sat Nataraja, the last gift Akechi had ever given to her. Metatron forged into a weapon. 

It was a beautiful gun. White steel, delicate wings, small jewels that glinted in the light. Far too fancy to match her personal aesthetic. But she loved it all the same, even when she had other guns that were far more powerful.

All the weapons Justine and Caroline made for her were real, with real bullet to go along with them. She’d panicked with the first one, but now… The only one she could bear to keep was Nataraja. Lavenza kept the rest safe in her cell in the Velvet Room. 

Akira tested the gun’s weight, checked to see if it was loaded. It was not. The bullets were somewhere else in the case. “I don’t need it.” She tried to convince herself. This was just an eccentric game company. She didn’t want it to just be that, she wanted another adventure, something she could enjoy, but… 

If she got caught with Nataraja, she’d go to prison for real this time. She should just leave it back in her cell in the Velvet Room, take it with her when she went to sleep that night. 

Instead, she placed it back in Akechi’s briefcase, locked it tight, and put that at the top of her suitcase, zipping it up with an air of finality. 

She straightened up, tension bleeding from her body. “Alright! Now, time to get your bag ready, Mona-chan!”

* * *

Ray leaned back in his chair after he hung up on Akira, his eyes glued to her application to their “company.” He was so grateful that she had been his Savior’s first choice. 

His Savior had wanted a specific type of person to be the one to infiltrate the RFA. A woman, of at least average attractiveness and intelligence, with little to no connections so she would bond easier with the RFA. Someone kind, who could relate to most of the members on at least a superficial level while also having some skill that could benefit Mint Eye once she was recruited. 

Akira Sakura was the perfect candidate. A woman who recently moved to South Korea from Japan and would start Sky University in the spring. Recently divorced from her husband of one year, graduated in the top ten of her former university, and… very pretty. 

Ray flushed, pulling up her resume again. Her glasses might cover her eyes in her profile picture, but they did nothing to decrease her beauty. Her hair was curly and wild, not unlike his own, but grew halfway down her back in thick curls. Her smile was what cinched it for him. It was so kind and soft, like she’d seen all of his flaws and forgave him. He shook his head. He shouldn’t be thinking unrealistic things like that, especially since he had to finish organizing her floor. 

Savior originally hadn’t wanted to close off the entire third floor of the center building for Akira, but Ray had convinced her. It would be boring for her to be trapped in a room with nothing to do except talk to the RFA. She could be brainwashed by them if she wasn’t allowed a break now and then! And the third floor would be perfect for Akira. 

Or at least, he hoped so. Her social media was all in Japanese and all the translator apps he used were subpar, so he could only infer her habits from her pictures. She posted a lot of pictures of her cooking, mostly curry and coffee, so her floor had a small kitchen she could use (he tried not to imagine them cooking together. Her food was probably so much better than his own!). There were a few videos of her playing the piano, so her floor had an entertainment room with a keyboard he bought for her. The rest of the pictures were of her cat, her ex-husband, and her friends. She didn’t have many of them. And, he thought snidely, none of them bothered to come with her to a new country. Did they side with her ex-husband in the divorce, leaving her heartbroken? They must not be particularly good friends. 

_ He  _ could be her friend. 

Mint Eye could be her family. 

And they would, if Savior’s plans worked. 

But, in all the pictures of Akira that he’d saved to his computer, none of them featured a cane. He hadn’t known about that. He frowned. He didn’t like not knowing things about her. Her records were surprisingly well encrypted, almost suspiciously so. Ray could spend a few hours hacking into them, but… this close to her arrival, he couldn’t get distracted now.

Standing, Ray stretched and left his room, leaving the cold blue of the monitors behind him. He still had to complete her bedroom.


End file.
